| Chapter
1 |
| 1 | Now it
came to pass after the death of Saul, when David was returned from the
slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had abode two days in Ziklag; |
| 2 | It came even to pass on the
third day, that, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul with his clothes
rent, and earth upon his head: and so it was, when he came to David, that he
fell to the earth, and did obeisance. |
|
3 | And David said unto him, From whence comest thou? And he said
unto him, Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped. |
|
4 | And David said unto him, How went the matter? I
pray thee, tell me. And he answered, That the people are fled from the battle,
and many of the people also are fallen and dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son
are dead also. |
| 5 | And
David said unto the young man that told him, How knowest thou that Saul and
Jonathan his son be dead? |
| 6 |
And the young man that told him said, As I happened by chance upon mount
Gilboa, behold, Saul leaned upon his spear; and, lo, the chariots and horsemen
followed hard after him. |
| 7 |
And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called unto me. And I
answered, Here am I. |
| 8 |
And he said unto me, Who art thou? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite. |
| 9 | He said unto me again,
Stand, I pray thee, upon me, and slay me: for anguish is come upon me, because
my life is yet whole in me. |
| 10
| So I stood upon him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could
not live after that he was fallen: and I took the crown that was upon his head,
and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them hither unto my
lord. |
| 11 | Then David took
hold on his clothes, and rent them; and likewise all the men that were with
him: |
| 12 | And they
mourned, and wept, and fasted until even, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son,
and for the people of the LORD, and for the house of Israel; because they were
fallen by the sword. |
| 13 |
And David said unto the young man that told him, Whence art thou? And he
answered, I am the son of a stranger, an Amalekite. |
|
14 | And David said unto him, How wast thou not afraid
to stretch forth thine hand to destroy the LORD's anointed? |
| 15 | And David called one of the young men,
and said, Go near, and fall upon him. And he smote him that he died. |
| 16 | And David said unto him, Thy
blood be upon thy head; for thy mouth hath testified against thee, saying, I
have slain the LORD's anointed. |
|
17 | And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over
Jonathan his son: |
| 18 |
(Also he bade them teach the children of Judah the use of the bow: behold, it
is written in the book of Jasher.) |
|
19 | The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are the
mighty fallen! |
| 20 | Tell
it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon; lest the daughters of
the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph. |
| 21 | Ye mountains of Gilboa,
let there be no dew, neither let there be rain, upon you, nor fields of
offerings: for there the shield of the mighty is vilely cast away, the shield
of Saul, as though he had not been anointed with oil. |
| 22 | From the blood of the slain, from the
fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan turned not back, and the sword of Saul
returned not empty. |
| 23 |
Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death
they were not divided: they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than
lions. |
| 24 | Ye daughters
of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with other delights, who
put on ornaments of gold upon your apparel. |
| 25 | How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! O
Jonathan, thou wast slain in thine high places. |
|
26 | I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very
pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love
of women. |
| 27 | How are the
mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished! |
